All is Quiet on the Home Front...

Ha!  If that was the case, I would be able to blog like I wanted!  So I guess it's only this home front that it's been quiet on.

Here's a recap of what's been going on here:

• Trip home for Christmas.  It was great.  Except for coming home and almost rolling the van. Then not being able to see the road.  Yeah, that part we could have skipped.  Gotta love Wyoming winters.
• STILL searching for the perfect Suburban for our family.  I was so sure we were going to find one in Colorado.
• Finding (and buying) the PERFECT Suburban in Idaho a whole week after we got home. (Pictures to come - maybe).
• Injuring my foot.  I am pretty sure I was on the verge of a stress fracture.  It was bad.  I took a week off from running, and in turn was kinda crabby.  Amazing that the fat chick was suffering from running withdrawls.
• Realizing that my shoes are s.h.o.t.  
• Sick kiddos
• and on and on and on.

Basically, it's life.  It's nothing new, but it's never the same, ever.

Anyhow, we did finally buy a new-to-us Suburban, and so I finally get to cash in on some of my reward days.  I've only managed to rack up 47, but who's counting. *insert big cheesy grin here*  I love it!  I love driving it. It's awesome.  And when I drive it, it's so cool to know that all my hard work has paid off.  

After I took a week off from running, I ran my first 5k.  Well, it was a virtual 5k.  Running Mate is hosting a virtual 5k every month throughout 2011.  A virtual 5k is where you run on your treadmill, at your local track, in your neighborhood, wherever.  No race entry fees, just go out, do your best, and then report back with your time.  I ran my first 5k in 51:46.  I don't think I will ever forget that time.  I am so proud of it, it's ridiculous.  I had to walk a little more than I liked, but the biggest thing for me was that I finished it!  But in running that 5k, I came to the absolute understanding that my running shoes are shot.  I need new ones badly. My foot isn't going to forgive me if I don't, and I don't want to take the chance of missing precious weeks because of an injury.  So I started looking heavily into what kind of shoes I needed.  Living in the middle of nowhere doesn't give me the option to run down to my local running store and have the people there tell me what shoe I need.  I kinda have to figure it out on my own.  And if you thought I did a lot of research on a new vehicle - hahahaha - you should have seen me over the past week trying to figure out what kind of shoe I need.  I finally ordered them today from Amazon.  

Aren't they pretty?  Amazon was so nice and told me that they'd be here on Friday.  I can't wait to wear these puppies out!

I've been slacking on exercise lately, which is why my weigh day on Monday was another maintain.  I can't complain (omg, I am rhyming, someone stop me).  I haven't put in the work I need to lately.  I haven't wanted to stress my foot with my crappy shoes any more than I needed to.  But I am not going to have that excuse anymore!  234 will be gone soon. :)

Oh, and another fun NSV for me today.  When I started this journey in October, my resting heart rate was dangerously high - about 90.  I took it today after sitting on the couch for awhile, and it's down to 64!  Even though I have a ways to go in the scale and tape measurement department still, my body is getting much healthier little by little.

And finally, here is my official "before" photo.

I finally feel like I've come far enough to not be embarrassed by this picture any more. This was taken in late Sept. 2010, and I know the scale said 260 here.  But this isn't who I am now.  It's who I was.  It is the me that decided to start getting healthy and making me a priority though.  So now I embrace it, and I love it.  Without it, there would be no now.  Remember that foundation I talked about here?  It's starting to look a whole lot prettier from where I am standing.  I do want that foundation.  It kicks some serious bum-bum as my boys would say.  I will try to get a picture of me in the same shirt and pants (and snuggling that handsome dude) again soon.  But we know how life keeps getting in my way.  But you know what, I sure enjoy everyday of this life more than I did that life. 

♥